RT Ponting became the second batsman in the annals of test cricket to appear in 100 tests while batting at number three. Ponting earned this distinction when he batted at number three against Pakistan at Sydney in the second test.

It is unfortunate that he could not celebrate the distinction in the first innings of this test as much as he wanted. He was dismissed without scoring caught by Umar Gul of the bowling of Mohammad Sami. It was his first ball duck

Ponting’s first ball duck in the first innings of this test provides the 93^rd occasion of a captain collecting the first ball duck in a test innings.

Ponting’s first ball duck in the first innings of this test provides the third occasion of his collecting the first ball duck in a test innings. The other two occasions were against South Africa at Perth in Dec 2008 and at Sydney in Jan 2009

Ponting with his three first ball ducks became the sixth captain to collect the first ball duck on three or more occasions. The other five are – GS Chappell of Australia {five occasions}, ST Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka {four occasions}, SP Fleming of New Zealand {three occasions}, R Illingworth of England {three occasions} and GS Sobers of West Indies {three occasions}. The performance of these six captains is listed below.

No	Captains	Runs	BF	Team	Opp	Ground	Mon/Year
1	GSChappell	0	1	Aus	Win	Adelaide	Jan 1980
2	GSChappell	0	1	Aus	Ind	Melbourne	Feb 1981
3	GSChappell	0	1	Aus	Win	Melbourne	Dec 1981
4	GSChappell	0	1	Aus	Win	Sydney	Jan 1982
5	GSChappell	0	1	Aus	Eng	Melbourne	Dec 1982
1	STJayasuriya	0	1	Srl	Aus	Galle	Sep 1999
2	STJayasuriya	0	1	Srl	Aus	Col-SSC	Sep 1999
3	STJayasuriya	0	1	Srl	SAF	Kandy	Jul 2000
4	STJayasuriya	0	1	Srl	Eng	Kandy	Mar 2001
1	SPFleming	0	1	NZl	Aus	Hobart	Nov 1997
2	SPFleming	0	1	NZl	Aus	Brisbane	Nov 2001
3	SPFleming	0	1	NZl	Aus	Wellington	Mar 2005
1	RIllingworth	0	1	Eng	NZl	Lord’s	Jul 1969
2	RIllingworth	0	1	Eng	Aus	The Oval	Aug 1972
3	RIllingworth	0	1	Eng	Win	Lord’s	Aug 1973
1	RTPonting	0	1	Aus	SAF	Perth	Dec 2008
2	RTPonting	0	1	Aus	SAF	Sydney	Jan 2009
3	RTPonting	0	1	Aus	Pak	Sydney	Jan 2010
1	GSSobers	0	1	Win	Eng	The Oval	Aug 1966
2	GSSobers	0	1	Win	Eng	Kingston	Feb 1968
3	GSSobers	0	1	Win	Eng	Trinidad	Apr 1971

RT Ponting became the fourth captain and the second Australian captain in the annals of test cricket to collect the first ball duck at a specific venue on two or more occasions. The other three are – GS Chappell of Australia at Melbourne on three occasions, ST Jayasuriya of Sri Lanka at Kandy on two occasions and R Illingworth of England at Lord’s on two occasions.

No	Captains	Runs	BF	Team	Opp	Ground	Mon/Year
1	GSChappell	0	1	Aus	Ind	Melbourne	Feb 1981
2	GSChappell	0	1	Aus	Win	Melbourne	Dec 1981
3	GSChappell	0	1	Aus	Eng	Melbourne	Dec 1982
1	STJayasuriya	0	1	Srl	SAF	Kandy	Jul 2000
2	STJayasuriya	0	1	Srl	Eng	Kandy	Mar 2001
1	RIllingworth	0	1	Eng	NZl	Lord’s	Jul 1969
2	RIllingworth	0	1	Eng	Win	Lord’s	Aug 1973
1	RTPonting	0	1	Aus	SAF	Sydney	Jan 2009
2	RTPonting	0	1	Aus	Pak	Sydney	Jan 2010